Increase in violent crime

Police say incidents in the Axminster area were up by 42 per cent - but burglaries were down

AN increase in violent crime has been recorded in the Axminster area.

Police and Community Support Officer Andy Trott told town councillors last night (Monday) that reported incidents were up 42 per cent over the past year.

Some 81 cases were dealt with in the 12 months up until last February compared to 57 during the same period the previous year.

Overall crime in Axminster town and the rural parishes surrounding it increased by 8.1 per cent – up from 430 to 465.

But he said while the per centage increases looked high the overall crime numbers were low, and included no major incidents. Burglaries in the area were down 32 per cent, from 25 to 17.